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Home Decorating

does your lighting have to match on staircase?

11 years ago

Hi all, I am trying to figure out how to have a mediterranean-inspired house.

I think the look of these tall candle sconces for along my stairway going upstairs would be nice.

However, these sconces will not fit on the stairs going down to my basement because the wall is shorter going down. Would it be funny to use a different sconce for the basement stairs? the stairs are separated, but semi-open to each other. Do you have any suggestions or other recommendations?

here is a pic of my stair railings going up. the stairs going down are underneath and to the left of these stairs.

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Comments (5)

palimpsest
11 years ago
No they do not need to match, but they should be related somehow.
bronwynsmom
11 years ago
I agree with Pal, if you are committed to sconces there, but even though those are very attractive, I would hesitate to put anything on a stair wall that projects into the space, even a little.

You will find it complicates taking things up and down the stairs, unless the stairs themselves are unusually wide, and it doesn't look as though yours are. Have you considered other ways of lighting the area?
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michoumonster
Original Author
11 years ago
Thanks for the feedback Palimpsest. I wil try to find something similar looking though it is kind of difficult for me to figure out what relates. Would just finding something in the same color be enough (or possibly i coudl paint them both the same color), or do you think it would need to be closer than that, like have similar lines, etc.? Maybe it will be easier to find a lighting collection with lots of different sizes.

bronwynsmom, thanks for the additional food for thought. the staircase is about 42 inches wide, so not super wide. i never even thought about potential issues with moving furniture. I am hesitant to not do sconces there though as everything is already wired. I don't want to create more delays with our project. I guess I will have to pay attention to the projection of the sconces that go there..

sounds like more searching for lights is in order. thanks for your help!
writersblock (9b/10a)
11 years ago
I have to second the suggestion to think very hard about projection. I once lived where I had a hallway with sconces, and even a few inches less sticking out makes a very big difference.
michoumonster
Original Author
11 years ago
writerblock, thanks for sharing your experience. the sconce i originally liked protrudes a little over 6 inches, so maybe it is not ideal.

i found these that stick out a little less which might be better. do you all think these go together ok?
this one from restoration hardware would be for basement, would stick out 2 inches

this murray feiss one would be for upstairs, would stick out 5 inches

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